How To Import and Ship Products Internationally With ShopifyReference

Whether you're importing products or selling to customers across borders, Shopify makes things simple.

Selling products across borders is a way to grow your customer base. Likewise, importing products from other countries can differentiate your store and bring value to shoppers.

Alongside the benefits, international commerce can create increased costs, including shipping fees, import taxes, and tariffs.

Shopify helps merchants sell to international customers and keep costs low.

How to ship across borders with Shopify

With Shopify, you can provide customers with clear, accurate information about international shipping rates and create tailored international shopping experiences.

Import taxes and duties

When you ship internationally, customers may be charged duties and import taxes.

Shopify merchants can display and collect import taxes during checkout to provide a transparent shopping experience that makes it easy for customers to understand the total cost of a purchase.

Turn on duties and import tax collection in the admin (go to Settings > Taxes and duties) to collect duties.

Remember to fulfill orders with a delivery duty paid shipping label from a third-party app such as ShipStation. This ensures customers aren't charged again upon delivery.

Add a country of origin to your products so the correct import tax and duty rates are applied at checkout. Fill out the Customs information section for an individual product, or bulk upload countries of origin using a CSV file.

Managed Markets

Eligible US Shopify merchants can use Managed Markets to guarantee the amount of duty customers pay, giving the ultimate reassurance about import fees. Managed Markets users can purchase duty prepaid shipping labels in the Shopify admin at negotiated rates.

Managed Markets also screens your catalog for products likely to cause customs issues and protects you from international fraud.

Shopify is working to accelerate the rollout of Managed Markets in other countries.

International shipping rates

Shopify Shipping connects merchant stores in the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France with shipping carriers so you can buy and print shipping labels, and display accurate rates to customers at checkout.

Currently, Shopify Shipping doesn’t support delivery duty paid labels. If you use Shopify Shipping to fulfill international orders, you should do one of the following:

Collect duties at checkout and fulfill orders with a delivery duty paid shipping label from a third-party app.

Do not collect duties and communicate to buyers that import taxes will be paid by the customer upon delivery.

Add information about duties and tax charges to your checkout with custom shipping rate names or by using an app like Checkout Blocks.

You can set free, flat, or calculated shipping rates. If you use Shopify Payments and offer fixed shipping rates in an international market, you can display rates in a customer's local currency.

Depending on your Shopify plan, you may be eligible for discounted international shipping rates. Preview them using the shipping calculator.

Shipping zones and profiles

Shipping zones are a group of countries or regions with the same shipping rate. Create shipping zones to simplify shipping management and exclude regions where you don’t offer shipping.

Similarly, the shipping profiles feature lets you set shipping rules for a product or location. For example, you can use shipping profiles to charge different shipping rates for an individual item based on where it’s being shipped.

International storefronts

When your online store appears in a customer’s language and currency, they are more likely to make a purchase. With Shopify, you can use markets to deliver tailored shopping experiences for different customer segments, countries, or regions.

Create local versions of your online store and connect them to international domains to rank in local search results. If you have multiple storefronts, use markets to display the local storefront to customers based on their location.

Importing products with Shopify

Importing products to sell in your local market is one way to bring value to customers. When importing products, it’s important to understand the associated costs and tax obligations.

Shopify helps you navigate product sourcing across borders with third-party fulfillment solutions. Integrate your store with suppliers, inventory storage services, and logistics partners that manage packaging and shipping.

Product sourcing apps

Shopify partners with product suppliers through the Shopify App Store. Browse product sourcing apps to find a supplier that fits your business.

Popular product sourcing apps include:

Collective: find and sell products from US Shopify brands.

Faire: browse Faire’s wholesale marketplace to buy inventory from brands worldwide.

Printify: create custom products and ship them directly to customers.

Spocket: sell products from suppliers in the US, Europe, Brazil, and India.

Whether you source products through the Shopify App Store or elsewhere, choose your supplier carefully to ensure they meet your business’s needs.

Shopify Fulfillment Network

When merchants import products in bulk, import taxes are applied to the amount paid to the supplier for goods instead of the retail price, which is likely to be higher. As a result, bulk shipping may reduce import taxes.

The Shopify Fulfillment Network helps merchants navigate cross-border trade by importing products to US warehouses for storage and domestic shipping. The Fulfillment Network app connects your store to a network of distribution hubs and fulfillment centers operated by Flexport, Shopify’s logistics partner.

Flexport provides 2 and 3-day domestic delivery, inventory storage, and wholesale distribution to more than 20 retailers, including Amazon and Walmart.

Monitor fulfillment, inventory levels, and returns from your Shopify admin.

Sell across borders with Shopify

When shipping internationally, make sure you understand how trade barriers impact your business and what you can do to keep costs low. Use Shopify to calculate import taxes and collect them at checkout so customers can enjoy a transparent shopping experience.

From first-time sellers to global retailers, Shopify works for everyone. See plans and pricing.

International shipping and importing FAQ

What are the new tariffs affecting sales from China to the US?

Goods imported from China into the US are subject to a new 10% tariff, in addition to existing applicable tariffs. Duty-free de minimus exemptions for goods under $800 may soon be removed, making all goods subject to duties and customs requirements.

Can I sell products internationally with Shopify?

With Shopify, it’s simple to set up international shipping and customize your checkout to display shipping rates in local currencies. You can use Shopify to create tailored shopping experiences for customers in different countries and regions.

What are the costs associated with international shipping?

International shipping costs include shipping fees, import taxes, duties, and tariffs. It's important to calculate these costs beforehand to ensure transparency for your customers and manage your profit margins.

How do I calculate import taxes and duties?

You can use Shopify's duty calculator to calculate and collect import taxes at checkout. This way, customers know their total order cost upfront, avoiding unexpected charges during delivery. The duty calculator is available to all Shopify users.

How can I find suppliers for importing products?

Browse product sourcing apps on the Shopify App Store to connect your store with a supplier. Find options for wholesale, dropshipping, and print-on-demand services that suit your business.